Why does VirtualBox crash if I close Ubuntu one way but not if I close Ubuntu another way?-Collection of common programming errors

I am running Ubuntu 12.04 64-bit as a guest on a Windows 7 Sony Vaio laptop (64-bit). Here is what happens:

I start up Ubuntu via the VirtualBox manager (by clicking start)- it runs in scale mode to start out (windowed mode). In this scale mode, I have two options to close Ubuntu:

1)Click the “X” in the upper right-hand corner of the Ubuntu window and just close it like a normal window. A menu pops up with 3 options: a)Save the machine state; b)Send the shutdown signal; and c)Power off the machine.

If I choose option ‘c’, the window just closes and Ubuntu is no more- I am back in my host Windows 7 environment.

2)The second option I have is by clicking the power symbol while in Ubuntu (which is right below the “X” that closes out the window). When I click “shutdown”, I get an error message from Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager: “Orcale VM VirtualBox Manager has stopped working.”

It searches for a solution, but does not find one, and the only option I have is to “close program.”

So why does closing Ubuntu by “sending the shutdown signal” crash VirtualBox but if I simply close the Ubuntu window by “x”ing out of it, and click “power down machine,” I have no problems?

P.S. I can also post the VBox log if that will help ID the root of this problem.

1. Option C is basically like pressing and holding the power button on the virtual machine. It’s not a proper shutdown, is never recommended as the “normal” way to shutdown, and you could end up losing data or with an unbootable VM if you’re unlucky.

   The other way (from within Ubuntu) is correct, but it appears that Virtualbox has a problem with the signals Ubuntu sends upon shutdown. Does it crash immediately after, or do you see Ubuntu beginning shutdown first? In any case, this alternative is better than the power off because Ubuntu probably gets partly shutdown.

   To fix it, try updating Virtualbox and/or include vbox logs.